diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/aid_sources/barometer/baro_height_control.cpp b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/aid_sources/barometer/baro_height_control.cpp
index b7b45d5ced..e8cbe0e213 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/aid_sources/barometer/baro_height_control.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/aid_sources/barometer/baro_height_control.cpp
@@ -85,20 +85,20 @@ void Ekf::controlBaroHeightFusion(const imuSample &imu_sample)
 						measurement_var + bias_est.getBiasVar(),  // observation variance
 						math::max(_params.ekf2_baro_gate, 1.f)); // innovation gate
 
-		// Compensate for positive static pressure transients (negative vertical position innovations)
-		// caused by rotor wash ground interaction by applying a temporary deadzone to baro innovations.
+		// Compensate for static pressure transients caused by rotor wash ground interaction
+		// by applying a temporary deadzone to baro innovations.
+		// The direction of the pressure transient depends on the baro location on the airframe,
+		// so the deadzone is applied symmetrically to both positive and negative innovations.
 		if (_control_status.flags.gnd_effect && (_params.ekf2_gnd_eff_dz > 0.f)) {
 
-			const float deadzone_start = 0.0f;
-			const float deadzone_end = deadzone_start + _params.ekf2_gnd_eff_dz;
+			if (aid_src.innovation > _params.ekf2_gnd_eff_dz) {
+				aid_src.innovation -= _params.ekf2_gnd_eff_dz;
 
-			if (aid_src.innovation < -deadzone_start) {
-				if (aid_src.innovation <= -deadzone_end) {
-					aid_src.innovation += deadzone_end;
+			} else if (aid_src.innovation < -_params.ekf2_gnd_eff_dz) {
+				aid_src.innovation += _params.ekf2_gnd_eff_dz;
 
-				} else {
-					aid_src.innovation = -deadzone_start;
-				}
+			} else {
+				aid_src.innovation = 0.f;
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/common.h b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/common.h
index 982cb4c1af..f60f00cd7b 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/common.h
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/common.h
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ struct parameters {
 	float baro_bias_nsd{0.13f};             ///< process noise for barometric height bias estimation (m/s/sqrt(Hz))
 	float ekf2_baro_gate{5.0f};             ///< barometric and GPS height innovation consistency gate size (STD)
 
-	float ekf2_gnd_eff_dz{5.0f};            ///< Size of deadzone applied to negative baro innovations when ground effect compensation is active (m)
+	float ekf2_gnd_eff_dz{5.0f};            ///< Size of deadzone applied to baro innovations when ground effect compensation is active (m)
 	float ekf2_gnd_max_hgt{0.5f};           ///< Height above ground at which baro ground effect becomes insignificant (m)
 
 # if defined(CONFIG_EKF2_BARO_COMPENSATION)
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ uint64_t mag_fault               :
 		1; ///< 18 - true when the magnetometer has been declared faulty and is no longer being used
 		uint64_t fuse_aspd               : 1; ///< 19 - true when airspeed measurements are being fused
 uint64_t gnd_effect              :
-		1; ///< 20 - true when protection from ground effect induced static pressure rise is active
+		1; ///< 20 - true when protection from ground effect induced static pressure transients is active
 uint64_t rng_stuck               :
 		1; ///< 21 - true when rng data wasn't ready for more than 10s and new rng values haven't changed enough
 uint64_t gnss_yaw                 :
diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/params_barometer.yaml b/src/modules/ekf2/params_barometer.yaml
index cefa503039..85a4c25049 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/params_barometer.yaml
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/params_barometer.yaml
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ parameters:
     EKF2_GND_EFF_DZ:
       description:
         short: Baro deadzone range for height fusion
-        long: Sets the value of deadzone applied to negative baro innovations. Deadzone
+        long: Sets the value of deadzone applied to baro innovations. Deadzone
           is enabled when EKF2_GND_EFF_DZ > 0.
       type: float
       default: 4.0
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ parameters:
     EKF2_GND_MAX_HGT:
       description:
         short: Height above ground level for ground effect zone
-        long: Sets the maximum distance to the ground level where negative baro innovations
-          are expected.
+        long: Sets the maximum distance to the ground level where baro ground effect
+          is expected.
       type: float
       default: 0.5
       min: 0.0